THE WHITE HOUSE is irritated with you. The N.Y. Times calls to profile you. Do you cooperate? – B’DAYS: Addie Whisenant, Dominique Mann

THE BUZZ: Jason Horowitz, the scalpel-wielding profile/features writer in the N.Y. Times Washington bureau, is profiling David Krone, chief of staff to Harry Reid. Krone strained relations with the White House when a front-page WashPost tick-tock the morning after midterms quoted Krone on the record as saying POTUS could have been more financially helpful to embattled Senate Dems: “We were never going to get on the same page. ... We were beating our heads against the wall.” Will Jason have a kiss for Krone, as a D.C. truth-teller? Or will he throw a dagger like he did at Robert Gibbs?

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--LOOK FOR KRONE to sit down with Horowitz, according to Capitol Hill sources. Friends say Krone didn’t want to engage. But Jason was so persistent, and called so many people, that the chief is likely to give an interview, trusting Jason to be fair.

--WHAT KRONE can be expected to say about the post-mortem: Krone believed the White House had shot first. The Post had been chasing Krone, who kept declining to talk. Then, just before the election, the reporter emailed to recount what the White House had said about Krone and the caucus. DSCC Executive Director Guy Cecil was hearing similar things. So Krone and Adam Jentleson, Reid’s communications director, met with The Post. Krone responded to quotes from the White House. Thus the detonation.

SCOOP DU JOUR --“Harry Reid wants Warren in Senate leadership,” by Manu Raju and John Bresnahan: “The incoming Senate minority leader, Harry Reid, is engaged in private talks with the Massachusetts freshman to create a special leadership post for the former Harvard professor ... It’s unclear exactly what the new job would entail — but luring the populist liberal into leadership could inject fresh blood into a team reeling from significant midterm election losses. Adding Warren ... would bring in a nationally known name who could help sharpen the Democratic message as it goes toe-to-toe with the new Senate Republican majority.” http://politi.co/11jZSRk

--“A Behind-The-Scenes Peek Inside The Mitch McConnell Legacy Vault” -- ABC News’ Jeff Zeleny: “It’s McConnell like we’ve rarely seen him before. From a childhood affliction with polio, to his audacious first bid for the Senate in 1984, the stages of his life are on display at the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville.” 2-min video: http://abcn.ws/10ZrkCM

--“Battle for Darrell Issa’s [Oversight] gavel heats up,” by Jake Sherman: “Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who is trying to leapfrog five more-senior members, and Ohio Rep. Mike Turner, who is No. 3 in seniority, have spent months furiously lobbying the members of the House Republican Steering Committee, which will meet next week to consider their cases. But all the lobbying may not matter. Boehner has five votes, his leadership team will follow him and vote in a bloc and the speaker has sway over most of the remaining votes ... As Boehner walked onto the House floor Wednesday night, he let out a loud laugh when a POLITICO reporter asked him who would be the next Oversight and Government Reform chairman. Republican leadership insiders are watching the race closely and think Chaffetz has a slight edge over Turner.” http://politi.co/1EFBWG6

INSIDE THE WEST WING – “The selling of Obamacare 2.0: TV’s out; hashtags are in,” by Joanne Kenen: “The second year of Obamacare enrollment starts Saturday, and the administration is launching a much more precise strategy that uses targeted digital ads, aims at specific demographics and leverages social media ... The hashtag #bornin88 did well the first year in getting 26-year-olds to sign up; expect a #bornin89 successor, aimed at people who turn 26 and can’t stay on their parents’ health insurance. Officials now know that radio spots are better for reaching Latino audiences in need of sign-up assistance.” http://politi.co/1qFi2CT

--“The best last choice: Loretta Lynch wasn’t Obama’s top pick [for AG]. The inside story of how she got the nod,” by Edward-Isaac Dovere and Josh Gerstein: “Maybe travel less, Obama told Eric Holder. Want to be home more with your wife and kids? Let’s work out your schedule to make that happen. Tell us what we can do to make the job work better for you. Just don’t leave. ... Lynch’s name ended up on a list from Holder of suggested replacements for both himself or for outgoing deputy attorney general Jim Cole. ... Lynch wasn’t Obama’s first choice. He wanted Kathy Ruemmler, his former White House counsel.” http://politi.co/1sHKp35

2016 -- “Why Wall Street Loves Hillary: She's trying to sound populist, but the banks are ready to shower her campaign with cash,” by William D. Cohan in Politico Magazine: “While the finance industry does genuinely hate Warren, the big bankers love Clinton, and by and large they badly want her to be president. Many of the rich and powerful in the financial industry—among them, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman, Tom Nides, a powerful vice chairman at Morgan Stanley, and the heads of JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America—consider Clinton a pragmatic problem-solver not prone to populist rhetoric. …

“The informal head of her informal Wall Street outreach effort ... is a finance executive she knows well—and recruited to work for her at the State Department. Tom Nides, 53, the Morgan Stanley executive, knows both New York and Washington intimately. Today he speaks with Clinton regularly and has begun to play the role of gatekeeper on Wall Street to her embryonic campaign. He also has been known to run interference between the Obama administration and the leaders of the Israeli government, in order to try to patch up their dysfunctional relationship.” http://politi.co/1v6Pwk7

--“The liberal media's not ready for Hillary: She has no viable opponent, so the liberal media is trying to create one,” by Maggie Haberman and Hadas Gold: “Absent a strong challenge to Clinton from the left so far, progressive media outlets are trying to fill the void — propping up [Elizabeth] Warren ... Jim Webb, the former Virginia senator who has made noise about running for president, and outgoing Maryland Gov. [Martin] O’Malley, the only one laying any groundwork toward a run. Even Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who styles himself a ‘Democratic socialist,’ is getting some play in an effort to avoid a coronation.” http://politi.co/1v5AQCv

--“ Hillary Clinton left out by liberal donor club,” by Ken Vogel: “Biden will join Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other leading progressives in addressing a closed-door gathering of elite liberal donors — a roster of speakers that notably doesn’t include Hillary Clinton. [It’s t]he annual winter meeting of the Democracy Alliance, a group of funders of liberal causes ... Biden is set to appear Friday night at a gala at the Newseum where donors and operatives will ‘toast the tremendous work of the progressive community and look ahead to the future we hope to build together.’” http://politi.co/1xvcqzV

-- “Mike Huckabee rebuilds political team with eye on another presidential run,” by WashPost’s Tom Hamburger and Robert Costa: “This week, Huckabee is leading more than 100 pastors and GOP insiders from early primary states on a 10-day overseas trip with stops in Poland and England. ” http://wapo.st/1v6QI6W

MIKE MURPHY QUOTE --N.Y. Times 1-col. lead, “In Climate Deal With China, Obama May Set 2016 Theme,” by NYT’s Coral Davenport: “The architect of Mr. Obama’s climate change plan is ... counselor, John D. Podesta, who is likely to leave the White House next year to work as the chairman of Mrs. Clinton’s campaign. ... 'They’re giving Republicans fertile ground for attack,’ said Mike Murphy, a longtime Republican strategist. 'Overregulation is clearly a job killer and jobs and the economy and middle-class wages are going to be a huge issue in the 2016 presidential. And it does seem like an inside job, with Podesta setting up Hillary’s position.’” http://nyti.ms/1v5zBTP

** A message from JPMorgan Chase & Co.: Since 2011, through support from our non-profit partners, we have awarded over 700 mortgage-free homes to deserving veterans and military families. We are committed to our nation’s servicemembers and military families through continued access to meaningful employment, education opportunities, affordable housing, and best-in-class products and services. Learn more about JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s commitment to veterans: http://bit.ly/1x0uOzq. **

PIC DU JOUR -- ‏@billclinton: “Received my copy of #41 by #43, George W. Bush. Touching tribute! ?#HowAreYouSTILLNotOnTwitter #PresidentialTweeters” with pic of Bill reading the book: http://bit.ly/1xvmngY. Bush 43 responded on Instagram with a screenshot of 42’s Tweet with the caption: “Thanks, 42! Hope you like the book about your pal, #41. #HowAreYouSTILLNotOnInstagram #PresidentialGrammers #BrotherFromAnotherMother” http://bit.ly/1BeKc1x

OBAMA AGENDA -- “Dem Think Tank Secret Email: ‘All Hands On Deck’ to Sell Iran Deal to Public,” by Washington Free Beacon’s Adam Kredo: “The Truman National Security Project, a nonprofit think tank with ties to the administration, is assembling a ‘crack team of writers’ to flood national and local media outlets with articles supporting the White House’s efforts before the details of a final nuclear deal have even emerged ... ‘Our community absolutely must step up and not cede the public narrative to neocon hawks that would send our country to war just to screw the president,’ Graham F. West, Truman’s writing and communications associate, wrote in a recent email to the organization’s listserv.” http://bit.ly/1sGyfaJ

FIRST LOOK – Next Wednesday, “the Center for American Progress will host its second annual Making Progress policy conference ... [Topics include] building a strong middle class and the impending challenges of climate change to the changing face of the nation and its postures internationally.” Agenda http://ampr.gs/1yBzFI5

CANTOR CALLS BIDEN ‘AWESOME’ – “Eric Cantor’s Secrets for Negotiating with Joe Biden,” by Time’s Zeke Miller – Cantor tells Zeke: “He is able to size up where the opposition is. He’s firmly rooted in his direction, what he needs to accomplish in the negotiations, and then understands how far you can push and not lose a result or a deal. ... And I’m certainly not one who agrees with Joe Biden on all things ... but from a human and relationship standpoint, the guy’s awesome.” http://ti.me/1wVTCek

LATE NIGHT BEST -- Jon Stewart mocks “Pointergate” –Mediaite’s Josh Feldman: “[A] local news station [used] a picture of [Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges] taking a picture with an African-American man where they’re pointing at each other and basically ran it as OMGZ GANG SIGN. Stewart showed a picture of Stephen Colbert flashing the gesture and cries, ‘All this time, I’ve been the lead-in for a notorious gang member!’ ... Stewart ... added this to the list of ‘innocent things that black people do that look suspicious.’” Videohttp://bit.ly/10ZwX3L

NEW ABC/YAHOO TOP LINE video: “Soulless in the city? An insider’s guide to surviving Washington,” hosted by Rick Klein and Olivier Knox: “Communications consultant [and former Rumsfeld spokeswoman] Torie Clarke ... has published ‘A Survivor's Guide to Washington: How to Succeed Without Losing Your Soul.’ At the top of Clarke’s rules of the road: ‘Suck it up or pack it up.’” 6-min. videohttp://yhoo.it/1xQ60dV$4.99 on Amazonhttp://amzn.to/1wqzcWN

KATIE COURIC INTERVIEW -- Chelsea Clinton on motherhood: “I'm so happy”: “Clinton talks to Katie about her work with the Clinton Foundation to improve the lives of girls and women worldwide, as well as her sleepless yet ‘magical’ experience as a new mother.” She says motherhood is “even better than everyone said it would be. I now understand all of the things that people say about their children. ... Every moment with her is just amazing, whether it comes at 2 p.m. or 2 a.m.” 4-min. video http://yhoo.it/1up0Lmn

STATE OF THE ART -- “How Republicans turned the Senate R.E.D.D.,” by Yahoo’s Jon Ward: Last “March, [NRSC deputy executive director Matt] Lira hired Mindy Finn, a well-respected digital strategist who had worked on multiple presidential campaigns and also as an executive at Twitter’s D.C. offices. Finn’s sole responsibility was to create what she named the R.E.D.D. program, short for Republicans Excelling at Digital and Data. ... R.E.D.D. began with a 52-bullet checklist of actions that the NRSC expected campaigns to take, broken into seven categories: campaign structure, website, email, fundraising, social/video, advertising and data/analytics.” http://yhoo.it/1GRvJZB

SPOTTED last night: Actor Seth Rogen at Clyde’s in D.C.’s Gallery Place/Chinatown, mingling with fans for an advance screening of “The Interview” in which he and James Franco play two Americans who travel to North Korea to try to interview (and then maybe assassinate) Kim Jong-Un -- Trailer: http://bit.ly/10ZptxO

TALKER --“Era of Free Digital Music Wanes,” by WSJ’s Hannah Karp: “Enjoy the free tunes while you can: The party may be winding down as the music industry prepares to make fans pony up. Over the past few years, record companies have allowed music streaming services ... ways for listeners to try the services free ... Now that fans have had a taste, record labels are feeling less generous as they head into their next round of licensing negotiations. Some plan to use their leverage to start cutting the free access.” http://on.wsj.com/1pTY78v

CORRECTION: In an item yesterday, we incorrectly named the U.S. Ambassador to Italy as John Douglass, husband of Linda Douglass. If you wanna visit, you better remember that his surname is Phillips.

PIC DU JOUR -- ‏@BBCBreaking: “The first picture from @philae2014 of the surface of comet 67P during #CometLanding”: http://bit.ly/1xvcmjS

TRANSITIONS – Danielle Beck and Allyson Alvaré to Russell Group: “ Danielle Beck, most recently Senior Legislative Assistant for Rep. Tom Rooney will join the firm December 1st as Director of Government Affairs. ... Allyson Alvaré will be joining the firm ... to serve as the firm’s Chief of Staff/Office Manager. Alvaré most recently was the Scheduling Director for Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD).”

MEDIAWATCH -- “Can Fareed Zakaria Survive A Plagiarism Firestorm?” by The Daily Beast’s Lloyd Grove: “Imperially slim and darkly handsome, possessed of an insinuating charm and a cultured manner of speech that recalls the British Raj, he’s a prized dinner guest in Upper East Side salons, and an occasional adviser on world affairs to President Obama. ... [But] due largely to the relentless, three-month inquisition of [two anonymous bloggers], who have dissected Zakaria’s oeuvre and accused him of multiple instances of plagiarism—various marquee media outlets where Zakaria has written have slapped dire warnings on his archived pieces. ... Zakaria—... is said ... to be much-aggrieved by the recent pile-on, privately arguing that he’s the victim of vicious pedantry, and that his lapses are trivial and, at worst, journalistic misdemeanors of the sort that generally pass without notice at the country’s most respected publications.” http://thebea.st/1qEZClE

--“MSNBC to Undergo Internal Reorganization,” by TVNewser’s Chris Ariens: “MSNBC is taking the next step in its evolution, with a return to its roots ... [which] will combine the digital and TV editorial teams under The Bridge, the network’s third floor newsroom at 30 Rock. In a memo ... MSNBC president Phil Griffin, says the goal is to ‘create a more nimble organization with greater collaboration between teams.’ Digital writers will now sit alongside TV producers, a new video research team will be created, and bookings will be centralized to ... ‘bring in fresh experts and more on-the-ground reporters.’ Full memohttp://bit.ly/1qEZz9m

--“Rokerthon: How Al will get through his 34-hour weathercast,” by Today’s Scott Stump: “Al is attempting to set a Guinness World Record for the longest uninterrupted weather broadcast with the 34-hour "Rokerthon," which also aims to raise money for the USO ... [which started] at 9:55 p.m. ET Wednesday. Al will be giving weather broadcasts non-stop until 8 a.m. on Today on Friday.” http://on.today.com/1xjJqh1Watch livehttp://on.msnbc.com/1v6TdGr

DESSERT – “Bayou Meets Broadway: Staging ‘Duck Dynasty,’” by Patrick Healy on NYT A1: “Undertaking one of the more audacious theater projects in recent years, the Robertsons — known for their long beards, duck-hunting merchandise and occasional inflammatory remark — are moving to expand their Louisiana-based multimedia franchise with ‘The Duck Commander Family Musical.’ The 90-minute show, with actors playing the family members from A&E’s ‘Duck Dynasty’ as they celebrate the family’s long history from rags to riches, hopes to open in February at the Rio hotel and casino.” http://nyti.ms/10ZGw2D

** A message from JPMorgan Chase & Co.: In 2011, JPMorgan Chase along with 10 other companies founded the 100,000 Jobs Mission, a coalition of private sector companies committed to hiring 100,000 veterans by 2020. This week, the RAND Corporation issued a report detailing the success and lessons of the coalition in increasing veteran employment opportunities. In a little more than 3 years, the coalition has grown to include over 175 companies and has hired over 190,000 U.S. military veterans into careers that span nearly every industry in the American economy. JPMorgan Chase is proud to be a part of the 100,000 Jobs Mission and remains committed to supporting servicemember reintegration into civilian life. Learn more about JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s commitment to veterans: http://bit.ly/1x0uOzq. **

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About The Author : Mike Allen

Mike Allen is the chief White House correspondent for POLITICO. He comes to us from Time magazine where he was their White House correspondent. Prior to that, Allen spent six years at The Washington Post, where he covered President Bush's first term, Capitol Hill, campaign finance, and the Bush, Gore and Bradley campaigns of 2000. Before turning to national politics, he covered schools and local governments in rural counties outside Fredericksburg, Va., for The Free Lance-Star, then wrote about Doug Wilder, Oliver North, Chuck Robb and the Bobbitts for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, where he nurtured police sources on overnight ride-alongs through housing projects. Allen also covered Mayor Giuliani, the Connecticut statehouse and the wacky rich of Greenwich for The New York Times. Before moving to The Times, he did stints in the Richmond and Alexandria bureaus of The Washington Post. Allen grew up in Orange County, Calif., and has a B.A. from Washington and Lee University, where he majored in politics and journalism.